Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Immigrants Gastrobar

[Immigrants has closed as of 31 August 2015]

Finally made our way to Immigrants Gastrobarfor a taste of familiar flavors just before the last order for food at 10pm. We were over at the friends' house which was not a far walk to the bar. Cool enough night. So we did just that. Took an easy 15-minute walk that we knew would be appreciated on the way back, after stuffing our faces full of food and beer.

I was that anchovy pasta girl. Man, I ate it at least thrice a week. It was that addictive. However, there isn't any pasta on this new menu at Immigrants. Chef Damian D'Silva is sticking strictly to his unique fusion of Eurasian and Peranakan cuisine. I've missed his food. The quality of ingredients is excellent, and one can tell that the food has been painstakingly prepared. Portions are small, even by my standards, but are great for sharing.

The table had sambal goreng that held no beancurd, but had chicken liver and gizzards, and spices. I gently refused the cutlets of pork and potato, and stuck to squid bombs. Those were lethal man. The chillies were awesome! Spicy to the max. Packed a giant punch. Best with steamed white rice, except they don't serve it. Strange. They really ought to reconsider that, even if they want to stick to the concept of a tapas bar. Most dishes are fiery. Nothing better than spices and chilli on a plate of beautifully steamed white rice. Washing it down with beer wouldn't be a good idea unless your stomach wouldn't rebel. The alcohol list is fabulous. Make your way slowly through it.

Considering that it's a bar in Joo Chiat, I shouldn't be surprised that the cute female servers were clad in uniforms of the tightest tops and shortest skirts. Well. Anyway. The one thing I really didn't like, eating off a small deep tin bowl. It was tiny, and cumbersome. The cutlery didn't fit into the utensils. Annoying. It would have been much better if they give the guests wide tin plates instead.

It's got really limited menu for vegetarians. There're only two edible items- a grilled stuffed beancurd or widely known as 'tau kwa pau' and a local salad. Not ideal. I haven't asked Chef Damian if meats are used in the sauces, especially in the sambal buah keluak fried rice. Stick to the beer for calories. Plenty of good beers. The grilled seafood otak was pungently beautiful. That S$20 sambal buah keluak fried rice, pictured below, by the way, is to die for.

Notion

“A large, but not particularly impressive, book. Other books in the University's libraries had covers inlaid with rare jewels and fascinating wood, or bound with dragon skin. This one was just a rather tatty leather. It looked the sort of book described in library catalogues as 'slightly foxed', although it would be more honest to admit that it looked as though it had been badgered, wolved and possibly beared as well.
Metal clasps held it shut. They weren't decorated, they were just very heavy – like the chain, which didn't so much attach the book to the lectern as tether it.
They looked like the work of someone who had a pretty definite aim in mind, and who had spent most of his life making training harness for elephants.” ~ The Light Fantastic by Terry Pratchett